Romanian Woman Awarded €54,000 for Crash and Needle Injury

Dublin Cleaner Awarded Over €54,000 for Double Injury Ordeal

A Dublin-based cleaner has been awarded more than €54,000 in damages by the Circuit Civil Court following two separate and traumatic incidents that occurred just three months apart. Corina Constantinescu, a Romanian national living in Phoenix Park, suffered injuries first in a road traffic collision and later in a shocking workplace accident at a hospital.

The court heard that blame had been admitted by the defendants in both cases, leaving Judge Terence O’Sullivan to assess the appropriate level of compensation for the injuries and psychological distress Ms Constantinescu endured.

Road Traffic Collision

The first incident took place on 15 June 2021, when Ms Constantinescu was driving her two children to school. Her vehicle was struck from behind by a car driven by Anna Stewart, who, the court was told, immediately apologised and accepted liability. Represented by Barrister John Nolan, Ms Constantinescu explained through an interpreter that she sustained injuries to her neck and back, as well as significant psychological trauma as a result of the crash.

Hospital Workplace Negligence

Just three months later, while still recovering, Ms Constantinescu experienced a second harrowing event. While working as a cleaner at Connolly Hospital, she suffered a needle-stick injury to her lower leg as she was removing a plastic refuse bag from a bin. A discarded hypodermic needle had pierced the bag. She provided the court with photographs clearly showing the needle protruding from the refuse sack. Liability for this incident was admitted by Connolly Hospital and its service provider, Derry Court Company.

The physical wound was accompanied by a period of profound mental anguish. Ms Constantinescu described an agonising six-month wait for blood test results to confirm she had not contracted any infectious diseases. She testified that the immense stress and anxiety during this period severely impacted her personal life, preventing her from having normal intimate relations with her husband.

The Court’s Award

After hearing the details of both ordeals, Judge O’Sullivan awarded Ms Constantinescu a total of €54,210. The award was broken down into €38,750 for the injuries resulting from the car crash and €15,460 for the needle-stick injury and the subsequent six months of severe anxiety. The judge acknowledged the distinct suffering caused by each incident in his ruling.